Contents
Are you considering Devonport High School for Boys for your son? We've collated all the information you need to know about 2024 entry to Year 7. Keep reading to learn about key dates, the admissions process, and how to prepare for the 11 plus exam.
About Devonport High School for Boys
Devonport High School for Boys was founded in 1896, initially for boys in Plymouth and its surrounding district who were seeking a career in the Navy. The Devonport Borough Council took over the school in 1906.
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) designated Devonport High School for Boys as one of the first four specialist engineering colleges in England in 2002, and it continues to hold this specialist status. In 2021, 64.1% of GCSE results were A*/A/9/8/7 and 56% of A levels were graded A*/A.
Devonport High School for Boys is rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and is recognised for its focus on providing equal opportunities for all students.
Address: Devonport High School for Boys, Paradise Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5QP
Local authority: Plymouth City Council
School type: boys' grammar with mixed sixth form
Headteacher: Dan Roberts
Number of pupils: 1,250+
National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 173
A level results: 71.9% A*–B
GCSE results: 57.5% A*/A/9/8/7
Key info for Year 7 admissions
Admissions contact: [email protected], 01752 208787
Number of places in Year 7: 180
Open day date: Wednesday 5th July 2023, 4.30pm
11 plus registration opens: 24th April 2023
11 plus registration closes: 31st August 2023
Exam date: 16th and 23rd September 2023
Exam type: GL Assessment – Plymouth schools and school's own
Common application form (CAF) deadline: 31st October 2023
National school offer day: 1st March 2024
Devonport High School for Boys term dates
The 2023–2024 term dates at Devonport High School for Boys are:
Autumn term: 6th September – 19th December 2023
Half term: 23rd–30th October 2023
Spring term: 4th January – 28th March 2024
Half term: 12th–19th February 2024
Summer term: 15th April – 19th July 2024
Half term: 27th–31st May 2024
How to apply to Devonport High School for Boys
If you would like your son to be considered for a place in Year 7 at Devonport High School for Boys, you will need to apply for them to take the 11 plus exam and apply for a school place separately. There are two forms and two different processes to complete.
1. Register for the 11 plus
Before registering, speak to your child’s teacher to see if the 11 plus and grammar school is right for them. The 11 plus exam is a challenging exam, designed to select the children working within the top 25% of their year group.
To register for the Devonport High School for Boys 11 plus exam, download the form from the school website. You will need to complete this and return it to the school with two passport-style photographs of your son by 31st August 2023.
2. Apply for a school place
Devonport High School for Boys will post a letter indicating your child's 11 plus results in mid-October. This letter will outline whether your child is eligible for a place at the school.
If you would then like to apply for a place at the school, you will need to name Devonport High School for Boys on your common application form. You must complete the form for your home local authority:
Plymouth residents: Plymouth City Council
Torbay residents: Torbay Council
Rest of Devon: Devon County Council
Cornwall residents: Cornwall Council
Before completing your common application form, make sure to check the school's oversubscription criteria first. In the likely event that more children achieve the qualifying score than there are places available, the school will need to apply oversubscription criteria to prioritise places.
The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023.
What's on the Devonport High School for Boys 11 plus exam?
Boys taking the 11 plus for entry to Devonport High School for Boys will take the same exam, on the same dates, as girls applying to either Devonport High School for Girls or Plymouth High School for Girls. Children will take two multiple-choice papers set by GL Assessment on consecutive Saturdays in September:
Saturday 16th September 2023: English comprehension
Saturday 23rd September 2023: maths
Boys applying to Devonport High School for Boys will also take an English writing test. This is internally created and produced by the school, and will test composition skills.
Devonport High School for Boys will hold optional 11 plus familiarisation sessions on 14th and 15th June 2023 – registration for these will open on the school website on 17th April 2023. There are also plenty of downloadable familiarisation materials on the same page.
Learn more and get free 11 plus preparation resources in our guide to the 11 plus in Devon:
What's the pass mark for Devonport High School for Boys?
Your child's raw scores in the GL Assessment English comprehension and maths tests will be standardised according to their age in years and months. This is to ensure that children born later in the school year aren't disadvantaged by being younger. An average of the two papers will then give your child's rank.
There is no set pass mark for the 11 plus at Devonport High School for Boys. Each child's overall standardised mark, plus their mark from the Devonport High School for Boys writing test, will be put in rank order, from highest to lowest, to determine the qualifying score for the year group.
Achieving the qualifying score doesn't guarantee a place at the school of your choice, as grammar schools are usually oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admissions policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area.
Devonport High School for Boys admissions criteria
Devonport High School for Boys has a planned admission number (PAN) of 180. Once all the papers have been marked, children will be put in one of three categories:
Category A: children who have achieved a qualifying mark in the external (GL Assessment) papers equal to or higher than that of the 180th candidate, and a qualifying mark in the school's English paper. These children are eligible for consideration for a place at the school.
Category B: Children who have achieved a qualifying mark in the external papers lower than that of the 180th candidate, but have achieved a qualifying mark in the school's English paper. These children are eligible for consideration for a place on the school waiting list.
Category C: children who have not achieved a qualifying mark in either the external or internal papers. These children are ineligible to be considered for a place at the school.
Oversubscription criteria
Children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names Devonport High School for Boys, and whose test scores put them in category A, will automatically be allocated a place at the school. All other children in category A will then be allocated a place in the following order of priority:
Looked After and previously Looked After Children
Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England, and are no longer in state care as a result of being adopted
Up to 174 children who achieve a qualifying mark in rank order
Up to 6 children who achieve a qualifying mark and are in receipt of pupil premium
All other children who achieve a qualifying mark in rank order
Tied places
If there are any tied places within the list above, the school will then use the following criteria (in order) to allocate places:
Children in receipt of the pupil premium or service premium
Children who have a parent employed by the school for at least two years
The mark in the school English paper
Children living closest to the school (measured by a straight line)
Finally, a random number generator will be used, supervised by a member of the local authority
There is no catchment area for Devonport High School for Boys. The school considers all children equally, regardless of their home address.
How to help your child prepare for the 11 plus
Here are our top tips on how to best prepare your child for the Devonport High School for Boys 11 plus.
Cover all the content
The 11 plus assesses a large breadth and depth of learning objectives across the Key Stage 2 national curriculum and beyond.
We recommend that your child starts revising content at least one year before the test. Setting aside study periods using a 'little and often' approach will give them time to build the skills and knowledge they need. When preparing, avoid falling into the trap of over-focusing on either the topics your child enjoys or the topics they find hardest.
Atom Nucleus is an 11 plus online course that tailors your child's personalised learning journey to cover all elements of the Devonport High School for Boys 11 plus at the right pace for them.
No surprises
Your child will encounter lots of unfamiliar types of questions in the 11 plus exam. Building exam technique with 11 plus test papers will help your child to feel fully confident with the styles of questions they'll encounter in the exam, reducing the potential for stress on the day.
Celebrate their progress
Setting regular goals and celebrating achievements will help keep motivation high. Atom Nucleus offers data-driven insights into your child’s progress towards mastering the 11 plus curriculum, making it easy to see where they need to focus next.
Personalised 11 plus prep for your child
Wondering how to make sure your child covers the depth and breadth of the entire 11 plus curriculum, stays on track with their progress, and gets help when they're stuck? Online learning is a particularly efficient, cost-effective (and fun) way to do this!
Atom Nucleus is the award-winning online 11 plus practice platform that gives your child everything they need to prepare for grammar school exams.
Children work independently through over 90,000 interactive practice questions in English, maths and reasoning. Teacher-created helpsheets and videos help them discover new concepts and consolidate their learning.
Atom's algorithm keeps children on their ideal learning path, tailored to their unique learning style and pace to keep them challenged and motivated.
Plymouth 11 plus practice papers
Atom Nucleus gives children access to online 11 plus practice papers. Our online tests are designed to mirror the format and style of the real Plymouth 11 plus, so your child will go into the exam knowing exactly what to expect.
And what's more, everything is automatically marked for you.
Try Atom Nucleus free for 5 days
Begin your child's journey to Devonport High School for Boys today. Use the full features of Atom Nucleus free for 5 days – cancel anytime.
Personalised 11 plus support for you
We know how keen you are for your child to do well in the 11 plus, to give them every chance of securing a place at their school of choice. Our dedicated team of Education Experts are on hand to support you and your family every step of the way:
Ask us anything
We're happy to help with any questions you may have about admissions processes and helping your child prepare for entry to Devon grammar schools.
Exam prep WhatsApp groups
Why not join over 2,000 parents in our community WhatsApp groups? You’ll get access to free resources, advice and admissions updates.
Subscribe for the latest education advice
Subscribe to Atom’s mailing list and get free resources to help your child master core subjects, excel in their entrance exams and build academic confidence.
Get exclusive discounts for Atom Nucleus, invitations to parent webinars, and much more, direct to your inbox.
Contents